How to learn to pick

1. Get a DVD with a long, good movie.
2. Spend a few minutes to learn the basing plucking pattern, in the way Bill1 described above - just enough to repeat it without thinking much.
3. Watch the movie while playing that pattern, preferably on muted strings. One such evening should be enough to grasp the basics :)
 
Bill1 said:
This is a good question. In picking you use the thumb and fingers of your right hand to pluck the strings. So perhaps the first thing you need to do is get your right hand in shape and used to plucking the strings.
Initially, don't look at books or tabs, just pluck the stings in this sequence: g string thumb, c string forefinger, e string middle finger, a string ring finger, while counting 1 2 3 4. Do that in 15 - 20 minute bursts for a few days until your finger muscles start to develop and you can do it smoothly. Once you can do that smoothly, bring in your left hand and pick out your favourite chord sequence. When you can pick your favourite chord sequence, your hands will be ready for the TABs and books.
When you are learning make sure you get some material that makes good use of the G string. On a guitar the D string (fourth srting) is used for base notes, but this wont work on a ukulele which has the fourth string (g string) tuned to high g. Therefore a lot of ex-guitarists who find it hard to get the concept that on ukulele the high notes are on the outside strings and the low notes are on the inside, so you sometimes need to use different picking patterns to a guitar. This is particularly important for your right hand thumb, which on a guitar is generally playing the bass, but on a ukulele it is playing the high notes on the G string. Unless of course you only ever want to use a three string uke.
Click to expand...

This is a great idea......mahalo!!!!
 
the way I branched into the world of fingerpicking was to start with one of the UU monthly lessons. I think I started with breakdown, because the picking is pretty simple. from there, I just followed the uu lessons til I felt comfortable making up my own crap
 
I want to play solo so fast and good that Jake & Taimane are amazed
.
Hey if I'm gonna have goals I may as well set them high :)
 
Hi Keef, I too am a strummer wanting to pick. I found a cool starter pattern off one of Ukulele Mike's youtube channels.
It's called "Travis" picking, the pattern is: Thumb alternating between stings 4 & 3, pointer is dedicated to string 2, and middle finger is dedicated to string 1. It's a 4 pluck pattern: 4,1,3,2. On mike's channel there is a link to a pdf better explaining how.
Here is the address to his vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r39ebDrQbw0.
DAP
 
DAPuke said:
Hi Keef, I too am a strummer wanting to pick. I found a cool starter pattern off one of Ukulele Mike's youtube channels.
It's called "Travis" picking, the pattern is: Thumb alternating between stings 4 & 3, pointer is dedicated to string 2, and middle finger is dedicated to string 1. It's a 4 pluck pattern: 4,1,3,2. On mike's channel there is a link to a pdf better explaining how.
Here is the address to his vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r39ebDrQbw0.
DAP
Click to expand...
Could you show us where the link to the pdf file is? I can't seem to find it.
Thanks!
 
Bill1's suggestion is excellent. It takes a bit of time to get your fingers working independently of one another. That's why it's important to start slow and count out loud to make sure you're keeping good time.

One exercise after you get Bill1's exercise down is to start alternating your fingers. So pluck the C string with your index finger first, then the A string with your ring finger, the G string with your thumb, and lastly, the E string with your middle finger. Do this so each plucked note gets one beat, for a count of four beats per measure.

Also, I should add, be sure your wrist is as relaxed as possible. Keep your wrist loose and imagine your fingers just gliding over the strings.
 
cb56 said:
Could you show us where the link to the pdf file is? I can't seem to find it.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I can't find it either. They deleted his "musicteacher2009" acct a while back. I have it at home I'll make a pdf. and post it tomorrow.
DAP
 
DAPuke said:
I have it at home I'll make a pdf. and post it tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Just a heads up... the size limit on PDFs here is 19.5K (which ain't enough for most PDFs) so if it exceeds that, you can zip it, as the limit on zips is 97.7K.
 
itsme said:
Just a heads up... the size limit on PDFs here is 19.5K (which ain't enough for most PDFs) so if it exceeds that, you can zip it, as the limit on zips is 97.7K.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up. I have two pages.
 

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kind of on this same subject is it normal to try and wear finger picks and play the uke like a banjo as I am not real keen on growing my nails long
 
I don't use picks although I have heard of people using Alaska picks.
 
cb56 said:
Thanks for the files DAPuke.
There is one page in each file is that correct?
Click to expand...
Yes cb56, one pg per pdf. Hope this helps. I know this is nothing new but when you get this down try stumming down all strings in place of picking the thumb to begin the pattern, (replacing the first pluck with a strum). I've started doing this on a couple tunes, I think it sounds good.....oh, And you're very welcome.
DAP
 
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